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Mechanobiology

Guidelines on the Use of Sex and Gender in Cardiovascular Research

AUTHORS

Usselman CWCharlotte W , Lindsey MLMerry L , Robinson ATAustin T , Habecker BABeth A , Taylor CEChloe E , Merryman WDW David , Kimmerly DDerek , Bender JRJeffrey R , Regensteiner JGJudy G , Moreau KLKerrie L , Pilote LLouise , Wenner MMMegan M , O'Brien MMyles , Yarovinsky TOTimur O , Stachenfeld NSNina S , Charkoudian NNisha , Denfeld QEQuin E , Moreira-Bouchard JDJesse D , Pyle WGW Glen , DeLeon-Pennell KYKristine Y . American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. 2023 11 24; ().

ABSTRACT

In cardiovascular research, sex and gender have not typically been considered in research design and reporting until recently. This has resulted in clinical research findings from which not only all women, but also gender-diverse individuals have been excluded. The resulting dearth of data has led to a lack of sex and gender specific clinical guidelines and raises serious questions about evidence-based care. Basic research has also excluded considerations of sex. Including sex and/or gender as research variables not only has the potential to improve the health of society overall now, it also provides a foundation of knowledge on which to build future advances. The goal of this guidelines article is to provide advice on best practices to include sex and gender considerations in study design, as well as data collection, analysis, and interpretation to optimally establish rigor and reproducibility needed to inform clinical decision-making and improve outcomes. In cardiovascular physiology, incorporating sex and gender is a necessary component when optimally designing and executing research plans. The guidelines serve as the first guidance on how to include sex and gender in cardiovascular research. We provide here a beginning path towards achieving this goal and improve the ability of the research community to interpret results through a sex and gender lens to enable comparison across studies and laboratories, resulting in better health for all.